Combined child&#39;s cradle and chair.



- PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906. J. BAOKB & F. L. ERNST.

UOMBINED'GHILDS GRADLE AND CHAIR.

APPLICATION IILED PEB.15. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. BAGKE & P. L. ERNST COMBINED CHILD'S CRADLE AND CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1906.

PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'rrjnrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BAOKE AND FRANK L. ERNST, OF AKRON, OHIO.

COMBINED CHHLDS CRADLE AND CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed February 15, 1906. Serial No. 301.268.

fants chair and cradle and the object thereof is to provide a neat and serviceable piece of furniture whlch may be readily changed from a chair to a cradle, and vice versa, and

, which will embody in its construction all the various accessories and conveniences required in the care of an infant at home,thereby reducing the number of articles which such care commonly necessitates.

With the foregoing and other objects in view our invention consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts constituting the invention to be hereinafter referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted 'to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, in which similar reference: numerals indicate like parts in the different figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved device, showing the same in position to form a chair. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the position of the various parts during the act of changing the chair to a cradle. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing the various parts placed to constitute a cradle; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section of our improved device.

Our device consists of two partsna1mely, a stationary supporting-framework and a swinging portion capable of being arranged to accommodate itself to the various uses to which it will be put.

The supporting-framework consists of four upright posts, (designated in the drawings by the reference-numerals 1, 2, 3, and/1.) The posts 1 and 2 are connected by horizontal cross-pieces 5 and the posts 3 and 4 by similar cross-pieces 6, parallel with and oppositely disposed to the cross-pieces 5. The posts 1 and 4 are connected by cross-pieces 7 and 8, and the posts 2 and 3 by cross-pieces 9 and 10. Between the pair of posts 1 and 2 and the pair of posts 3 and 4 is mounted the mechanism designed for the reception and support of the infant, and it consists of an open box made up of a rear piece 11 and side pieces 12 and 13. On the bottom edges of the sidepieces 12 and 13 are lugs 14, to which are pivotally attached links 15, the upper ends of which are pivotally attached to the inside faces of the cross-pieces 5 and 6.

them depend from the cross-piece 5 and support the side of the box on which is located the piece 12, and two other links 15 depend from the cross-piece 6 and support the side of the box on which is located the side piece These links 15 are so arranged that two of 13. As the links 15 are pivotally attached at both ends, the box is capable of an oscillating motion between the side posts of the device. On the inner. faces of the side pieces 12 and 13 and fixedly secured thereto are a Pivoted.

pair of oppositely-disposed ribs 16. to these ribs 16 by means of pins 17 is amember 18, hereinafter designated as the back. Also pivoted on the ribs 16 by means ofpins 19 are a pair of parallel arms'20, the outer ends of which are connected by means ofa cross-piece 21, and hinged to this cross-piece 21 is a member 22, hereinafter designated as the tray. The inner faces of the arms 20 bear inwardly-projecting pins 23, to which are connected rods 24, having their opposite ends slotted to freely engage pins 25 on the outer edges of the back 18. Pivoted to the inner front lower corners of the box by means of pins 26 is afoot-rest consisting of a bottom board 28 and a front board 29, which are united by means of side boards 30. To these side boards 30 are fixedly secured a pair of straps 31, to the outer ends of which are pivotally attached links 32, the opposite ends of which pivotally engage the pins 23 on the arms 20. On the inner faces of the side pieces 12 and 13 are a pair of stops 33, whose function is to arrest the descent of the arms 20 when the tray 22 is substantially horizontal.

When the mechanism is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the device constitutes a chair for the infant, and in order to change the arrangement of the parts with respect to each other so as to constitute a cradle the arms 20, bearing the tray 22, are raised and swung on their pivots 19, which at the same time swings backward the back, due to the rods 24, and simultaneously raises the footrest 27, due to the links 32. This movement when half completed is best shown in Fig. 2, and when entirely accomplished places the parts in the position shown in'Fig. 3. When the parts have reached the position shown in Fig. 3, the back 18 will be substantially horizontal with the tray at rest on the front face thereof to constitute a head-rest, and the foot-rest will be upwardly-extending to close the front opening of the device. When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the rear portion of the box structure between the back 18 and the end piece 11 constitutes a receptacle for extra bedding and clothing used in the care of an infant, and in order to permit the ready cleaning thereof and a thorough drying of articles placed therein the bottom is formed of a plurality of slats 43. Situated between the side pieces 12 and 13 and immediately in front of the ribs 16 is a seat 34. This seat 34 is fixedly secured in position and does not move when the device is changed from a cradle to a chair. This seat 34 may be provided with an opening 35, closed by a lid 36. Below this seat 34 we prefer to place a drawer 37, slidable in ways 38, in which a convenient receptacle may be placed, whereby the device may be used as a commode. When the device is used as a chair or cradle, the lid 36 is kept in the position shown in Fig. 4, and when the device is intended to be used as a commode the lid 36 may be raised. and rest against the front face of the back 18. It will be noted that when the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 3, thereby constitutin a cradle, very little effort will be required to produce an easy swinging motion, due to the length of the links 15, whereby all the soothing motion necessary to quiet a restless infant may be obtained. This motion, however, when a child is using the device as a chair or as a commode might prove objectionable, and hence we place on one of the posts (1 in the drawings) a latch 39, which maybe turned, as shown. in Fig. 1, to engage the adjacent link 15 and lock the movement of the cradle portion of the device against oscillation. In view of the fact that it is desirable to have the frame portion of the device as rigid as possible in order to render perfectly safe the swinging of the cradle portion, the legs are not ordinarily provided with casters, but in order to permit the easy moving of the device from place to place in the house there is attached to the front faces of the cross-pieces 7 and 8 a forwardly-extehdingfoot 40,having mounted in its front lower face a caster 41. With this attachment the device is readily moved from place to place by grasping the rear legs 2 and 3 and raising the entire device, excepting the caster 41, free from the floor.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the class described, comprising in combination a supporting-framework, a cradle portion mounted for oscillation in said framework, a seat portion mounted in said cradle portion, a hinged member constituting a back hinged between the sides of said cradle portion, a member constituting a foot-rest hinged to said cradle portion at v the forward part thereof, a tray-carrying element pivotally attached to said cradle por tion, means to connect said back and footrest with said tray-carrying element, whereby a simultaneous movement is produced in said back and foot-rest portions when said traycarrying element is actuated.

2. A device of the class described, comprising in combination an upright supportingframe, means for pivotally suspending a cradle portion in said frame, a cradle portion mounted on said supporting means provided with a fixed seat, a pivoted back, a pivoted foot-rest, a pivotally-mounted tray-carrying element, means for connecting said back and foot-rest with said tray-carrying element, whereby a simultaneous movement is imparted to said elements when said tray-carrying element is actuated.

3. A device of the class described comprising a supporting-frameWork, a cradle portion mounted for oscillation in said framework, a seat fixedly secured in said cradle portion, a back pivotally attached to said cradle portion, a foot-rest hinged to said cradle portion, means to connect said back and foot-rest, whereby a simultaneous movement is imparted to both, means for attaching said con necting means to said tray-carrying element, and means to limit the movement of said tray-carrying element in one direction.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of.two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN BACKE. 'FRANK L. ERNST. Witnesses GLENARA Fox, 0. E. HUMPHREY. 

